Favorite Trick out of Preakness

FROM EXAMINER STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, May 7, 1998

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Favorite Trick, badly beaten in the Kentucky Derby after compiling a nine-race undefeated streak to start his career, will not run in the Preakness Stakes, the Palm Beach Post reported Thursday.

"We're not going," Joe LaCombe, majority owner of the horse, said. "I don't know if he could win or not, but it would be grueling either way.

"My feeling is that we don't know how far he can run. We have no excuses for the Derby."

The colt's first loss came in the 1"-mile Arkansas Derby last month when he finished third, but only two heads off winner Victory Gallop at the wire. At the time, trainer Bill Mott considered Favorite Trick's effort a good one - he was caught in the stretch - despite the fact that jockey Pat Day never managed to harness the horse's early speed.

Favorite Trick, however, was eighth in the Kentucky Derby last weekend when Day said the horse "emptied out" late in the 1"-mile race.

U.S. hockey exit&lt;

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ZURICH - The United States, shockingly swept out of the Olympic tournament, made another early exit from international ice after losing 6-1 to Sweden at the world hockey championships.

The U.S. team, with a roster different from the one in Nagano, was eliminated when previously winless Switzerland drubbed France, 5-1, and advanced on goal-scoring tiebreakers with a goal in the last 16 seconds of the game that put them ahead of the United States despite identical 1-2 records.

Williams upsets Martinez&lt;

ROME - Serena Williams beat four-time champion Conchita Martinez at the Italian Open Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals and a meeting with her older sister, Venus.

Displaying a well-rounded game in just her second full career match on European clay, 16-year-old Serena never was in trouble in her 6-2, 6-2 upset of No. 7 seed Martinez on the Foro Italico's center court.

No. 9 Venus Williams, who is a year older than her sister, needed just 57 minutes to keep up her end of the family bargain, overpowering French qualifier Alexandra Fusai, 6-1, 6-1.

*Michael Chang was eliminated from the German Open Thursday in Hamburg, losing to Francisco Clavet of Spain 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2.

Etc.&lt;

*Olympic figure skating champion Oksana Baiul has checked into a clinic to to treat her drinking problem. Shelly Schultz, the vice president of the William Morris Agency and a spokesman for the skater, confirmed Thursday that the Baiul volunteered last week to enter a center founded by Alcoholics Anonymous.

*A two-run homer by Clint Hoover and a solo shot by Brian Oliver in a four-run fourth inning helped Cal to an 11-6 victory over St. Mary's (11-27) at Evans Diamond.

*Santa Clara has elevated women's polo, a club sport, to the intercollegiate level. The team begins competition in 1999 and will be coached by Steve Hansen. *Cobi Jones scored three goals and Mauricio Cienfuegos and Weltoneach added two as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Colorado Rapids, 7-4, at the Rose Bowl in a Major League Soccer game.

*Jason Kreis scored in the 19th minute Wednesday night and the visiting Dallas Burn held off the New York-New Jersey MetroStars, 1-0, for their second straight win.

*Texas Christian center Lee Nailon, the nation's third-leading scorer last season, said he's giving up his final year of eligibility to enter the NBA draft.

*After a frustrating season in Miami, free safety George Teague has returned to the Cowboys. Teague took a physical exam late Tuesday and was expected to sign a two-year contract that could be worth $1.3 million with incentives. He received a signing bonus between $100,000 and $200,000.&lt;